Eyeing a September shoot, helmer Catherine Hardwicke is boarding comedy/drama Miss You Already, with Rachel Weisz and Toni Collette attached to star. The pair will play lifelong best friends whose relationship is tested as they confront a crisis. Morwenna Banks, best known for her UK acting credits including Skins, Shameless and Peppa Pig, wrote Miss You Already based on personal experience. Hardwicke says of Banks’ story of intense friendship, “This is something she lived through. She managed to take real life and turn it into a powerful, laugh‐ and cry‐out‐loud screenplay.” When the project was originally announced during Berlin in 2012, it had Jennifer Aniston attached to star, and Paul Andrew Williams directing. At the time, the story was very London-centric, but has since been expanded.

Samantha Horley, Managing Director of The Salt Company, tells me, “We have a fresh new draft of the script for Cannes which has been worked on by Catherine and Morwenna. It’s no longer just London set, for example, but London, Yorkshire Moors and beautiful Britain. What we feel Catherine has brought to it is a sweeping international appeal.” The Salt Company is co-producing with Exponential Media and Maven Pictures, and has international sales. CAA is co-repping North America. Entertainment One previously acquired UK, Canada and Australia rights. Christopher Simon and Felix Vossen of Embargo Films are producing. Banks, Hardwicke, Horley, James Norrie, Barnaby Southcombe, Celine Rattray and Trudie Styler are exec producers. Hardwicke is repped by Manage‐Ment and CAA; Banks is repped by The Agency and CAA; Weisz is repped by Independent Talent Group, CAA and Brillstein Entertainment Partners; and Collette is with Viking Entertainment and WME. Incidentally, both Hardwicke and Collette are on juries at the current Tribeca Film Festival.

7 Comments

Uh… “Lifelong friends whose friendship is tested when they hit a crisis”, sounds awful? How does that sound awful? And with these two amazing actresses in the roles, I’m sure they’ll bring it!

JJ • on Apr 22, 2014 7:50 am

Is Hardwicke’s name still getting attention because of the coattail riding of ‘Twilight’? Her efforts weren’t great and the Red Riding Hood she did wasn’t received well so I’m surprised she’s getting projects and actors like this. Maybe the non-fx/non-genre route is better for her?

Tom • on Apr 22, 2014 7:50 am

Read the script, it’s pretty good. Rachel Weisz will kill in the role

cha cha shoes • on Apr 22, 2014 7:50 am

Hardwicke was lucky with Twilight. Everything else she’s directed has been abysmal no more so than that atrocious drama about those drugged up singers. Why she continues to get more chances is beyond me. The only thing protecting her is Hollywood needs a token female director and, if Kathryn Bigelow isn’t available, this is who they drag out.